In a traditional reel-spinning slot machine, each spin of the reels is typically a separate and distinct game, which has no relationship with any prior or future game played on that machine. As such, there is a need for a game that will increase player excitement and maintain player interest between consecutive games. To address this issue, several different types of “second chance” games have been developed that try to maintain player interest from a first game segment to a second game segment by providing the player with another opportunity to win.
For example, some slot machines allow a player to “nudge” one of the reels so that a displayed symbol is replaced by an adjacent symbol on the reel. The success or failure of the game is then recalculated based upon the new symbol combination appearing after the reel has been nudged. While this nudging feature does address the issue of being one symbol short of a winning combination, it provides only limited relief. There is a continuing need for other slot machine variants that provide at least a “second chance” (or more) for a player to achieve a win, after initially achieving a win or a near win in a prior game, thereby maintaining player excitement between individual games.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a player with options for playing additional games that maintain some portion of the outcome symbol combination from the previous game, thus, avoiding the need for the player to start completely over with each new game. Further, there is a continuing need for a gaming machine that provides a player with the opportunity to overcome at least some of the frustration of being just short of a winning combination. Accordingly, those skilled in the art have long recognized the need for a gaming machine that addresses these issues. The present invention clearly fulfills these and other needs.